EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — A day after quarterback Justin Herbert was sacked six times and hit 11 times in a win over the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh questioned the officiating and suggested Herbert should receive more calls for illegal hits.
“I think he doesn’t get some of those calls when they should be called,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh alluded to a few plays from the past two games, wins over the Browns in Week 9 and the New Orleans Saints in Week 8.
On a third down in the first quarter against Cleveland, Herbert connected with receiver Ladd McConkey on a slant. Edge rusher Myles Garrett came free on a stunt up the middle and delivered a massive hit to Herbert as the quarterback released the ball. There was no flag on the play. Harbaugh believed this should have been flagged because Garrett put his “body weight on top of the quarterback.”
“It gets called most times,” Harbaugh said.
In the fourth quarter, Browns defensive lineman Mike Hall Jr. threw Herbert to the ground about two seconds after the quarterback released a screen pass to tight end Will Dissly. There was no flag for a late hit on the play. The referees called right tackle Joe Alt for a hold.
“Sometimes the ball, he’s released it, and it’s 10, 15, 20 yards downfield, and he’s still getting wrestled and grappled and thrown to the ground,” Harbaugh said. “I guess it’s all in the name of continuation.”
In the third quarter, Herbert scrambled to his right and threw a pass away amid pressure. He was taken to the ground out of bounds by Garrett, who had three sacks in the game. “A foot out of bounds is out of bounds,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh also mentioned two plays from the Saints game. Herbert sparked the Chargers offense with a 38-yard scramble in the first quarter. At the end of the run, Herbert took a shot from safety Tyrann Mathieu. On Monday, Harbaugh called it a “helmet-to-helmet” hit.
In the fourth quarter of that game, Herbert was sacked deep in his own territory. Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee appeared to grab Herbert’s facemask during his tackle attempt.
“OK, they didn’t see it because of the angle,” Harbaugh said. “Things like that.”
Harbaugh compared Herbert to Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.
“It’s almost Shaq-like the way Shaq used to get fouled,” Harbaugh said. “He’s hard to get down. But the play just seems to extend with him. The ball’s downfield. Does it sound like I’m complaining? Maybe. Maybe. Yeah.”
Harbaugh added: “He’s so big. Shaq was so big.”
When asked if Herbert would get more calls if he complained more, Harbaugh said, “That’s not Justin. Justin Herbert’s not that guy. A lesser man probably would. I just don’t see that coming from Justin Herbert.”
Harbaugh said he attempts to argue his point with officials during games but his points fall on deaf ears. “I’m yelling things, but I don’t think they’re heard,” Harbaugh said.
He added: “I do more than Justin does. I’m a lesser man, I guess. I’ll admit it. I’m not ashamed to admit that.”
Harbaugh said the Chargers sent some hits on Herbert to the league for “clarification” on why no flag was thrown.
Herbert has been sacked at least three times in each of the past four games. He has been sacked multiple times in six straight games. He was pressured on 47.1 percent of his dropbacks against the Browns, according to TruMedia. That was the highest rate in a game since Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs when the Chargers were down both starting tackles, Alt and left tackle Rashawn Slater.
“His protection, his safety, there’s probably nothing I think about more than that,” Harbaugh said.
In the first half against the Browns, Herbert threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns while compiling a perfect passer rating despite being sacked six times.
“It’s infectious, that kind of toughness,” Harbaugh said of Herbert.
Required reading
- Chargers’ top-ranked defense leads way in lopsided win over Browns: Key takeaways
- How a ‘gift from the football gods’ is pushing Chargers into playoff contention
- NFL flexes Bengals-Chargers to ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Week 11 instead of Colts-Jets
(Photo of Myles Garrett sacking Justin Herbert: Ken Blaze / Imagn Images)
